Deposition of George Cottingham
- Reference: MS 834, fols 106r-107v
- County: Monaghan
- Date: 4/3/1642
- Type: Dublin Original
- Nature of Deposition: Captivity, Killing, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping, Words
- How to Cite
fol. 106r
1082
George Cottingham parson of Monaghan beinge duely examined sayth that the 23th day of october 1641. the towne of Monaghan was taken & all the goods of the English with theire Armes by the persons vndernamed: vizt By
<a> Art Roe mcStPat: mcArt Moyle mcMahon
Brian McPat. mcArt Moyle
Neill McKenna
Brian mcHugh mcRosse mcMahon
Coll mcBrian mcRedmon mcMahon
Nicolas Sherragall
Hen: Sherragall
Nicolas McCroddan
Owen Modder McElaskell
Garrald Rowney
Edmond Boy mcGough all dwellers in the county of Monaghan with many others of the same county many of whom came to the howse of the said Geo: Cottingham & tooke all his goods & money with all that hee had which in particulars was valued to 852 li. at the least & to a greater summe. as may more fully appeare.
<to the end> About the 30th day of october the said Geo: with most of the English was cast into the Dungion which was a place of that noysomenosse by reason of great heapes of mens excrements that had been there a longe tymme that they were allmost stifled the Dungion was soe little & the people soe many beinge some neere forty eight persons that they were faine to lie one vppon another soe that the examinate after hee had lien some 17 dayes sometymes in the Dungion sometymes in the goale & gott such a lamenesse with cold & ill hard lodginge that hee was not able to goe but as hee was carried be twixt men & Duringe theire continuance in this miserable restraynt noe meate was allowed the prisoners by the Rebels neyther would they scarce suffer eyther theire wifes or freindes to come to see or speake with them or bring them any thing but oftentymes both in the night & day seuerall of the Rebells came to the prisoners with swords & skeines drawne with pistols cocked to the greate terror of the prisoners & if some came often & serched them & if they found any siluer eyther more or lesse they tooke it from them in & stripped them of their clothes in the very dungeon & left many all most naked with few or noe Raggs to cover them. & when theise prisoners were sett at libertie soone after many whoe were were murdered some with skeines some drowned & some hanged Mr Richard Blany wh oe was prisoner in another plac e place beinge bolted with Irons was taken forth suddenly & hanged & <A> cast into a kind of boggie place with out buriall starke naked. the same day one Mr Luke ward was taken & hanged in the same towne of Monaghan in the beginninge of the night, & was neuer [
fol. 106v
1083
beinge taken by one pat: oge o connoley whoe was brought into a house in towne & there pat: gaue him worth 12 d. or more in drinke, as though noe hurt were intended the n presentely went to the backe side & called out the said Luke ward & with others of his companie to o layd hold on him & hanged him & after threw him into a little Riuer where hee lay naked & vnburied the next Morninge many of those yt that were lett out of prison beinge all most starved & famished <B:> were murdered with skeines & others drowned
Mr Oliuer Peirse to murdered with swords & skeins
Mr John ffrancismurdered with skeines &
Edward Lewessowrds & many others
Richard Bollardwere pursued whoe escaped
Will Jonesthat night though some as one
Tho: west was neuer heard of since
A poore English man vnknowne came straglinge to the towne hauinge escaped from some other place was hanged
Some of those that were imprisoned were sent out of the towne of Monaghan to glasslough, where they had liued formerly & theere they with others to the number of 40 were cast into a Riuer at the Edge of the County men women & children In the meane tyme soe many as escaped were in great miserie & feares dayly hearing that that not an English man woman or child should be left aliue, that there was the like stirr in England & Scotland & that neuer a protestant must be suffered to liue in any of the 3 Kingdomes, that the seas were full of Spanish & ffrench shippinge & that all the Irish in other parts were comminge homewards to helpe to subdue the English & in Ireland & then they were to be in England before May for the same purpose & the like to be doone in Scotland allsoe It was vsually reported that none must beare rule in Ireland but onely the natiues, & that all the lands which were eyther enjoyed by any of the British must be forthwith taken from them which was acordingly doone in all parts theereabouts. It way was frequently noysed & reported that the Kinges Maiestie was dead or not to be had & that there was a crowne consecreated for some other that should deserue it best. & when afterwards it was reported his Maiestie was in England, it was sayd that Sir Phellemy o neile was made generall by his Maiesties appoyntment & that there were others that had commaund by the same appoyntment wee dayly heard of most cruell murders of prisoners on all sides of vs besids what wee saw committed in our owne towne in some places neere, were hanged sometymes 17 sometymes 22 at a tyme, as at Clownis & CarrikemcRosse & within 7 miles were murdered some 25 men women & children & in the night & euery howre wee expected the like vsage beinge often threatned that not any English should be left in Ireland. convoyes were sent with many pretendinge to bringe prisoners safe to such places as they desired to goe & but they were most pittifully murdered & drowned by the way by such as convayed them. others were turned out without any convoy & soe murdered. about six weekes since I my wife & foure small children with some other English were turned out of the towne of Monaghan about 3 a clocke in the afternoone the Drumme beatinge & Art mcSt Roe mc StPat: mc Art Moyle, whoe is Cheefe gouernor there went before & declared that wee must be gone forthwith, & not suffered suffered to retorne on payne of death; when wee were assured that not past a quarter of a mile before vs there were men with swords & skeines [
2
fol. 107r
1084
called Bewley neere vnto which place are incamped many Rebells which came from towards Monaghan & other places of the north. at which place Sir Phellem O Neile was. where might be perceaued by the speeches of the Rebells that they were very confidant to take Drohedah [
Geo: Cottingham
Jurat March. 4. 1641.
Hen: Jones
William Aldrich
fol. 107v
1085
29
Monaghan
Intw
Geo: Cottingham
Ex
Jur 4o Martij 1641
Hand
Intw
w
31
Henry Jones
William Aldrich